300tdi hard to turn over

[Woolly]

My son’s D1 refused to start yesterday, after running fine the previous day. The starter turned the motor slightly then hit resistance. Battery had 13+. volts, starter seemed ok when tested out of the car, tried turning motor with socket and 12inch breaker bar on front of crankshaft, very hard to get any movement so removed glowplugs suspecting hydraulicing. Could then turn it clockwise with a lot of effort, nothing came out of holes, but it wouldn’t turn anticlockwise,the way it runs.
If anyone can shed any light on our problem, it would be very much appreciated.
Thanks.
Woolly.

[loanrangie]

Sounds like timing belt has let go or jumped a few teeth.

[rangieman]

Sounds like timing belt has let go or jumped a few teeth.
X2[wink11]
And forcing it to turn over can damage valves and or rocker gear and push rods [bighmmm]

[justinc]

Take the auxilliary belt off and try again first....

[Woolly]

Thanks for these suggestions. Will pass them on as we’re quite a few km apart.

[Old Farang]

Could then turn it clockwise with a lot of effort, nothing came out of holes, but it wouldn’t turn anticlockwise,the way it runss.
Hmm, which TDi, or any internal combustion engine for that matter, runs anticlockwise?

[vnx205]

s.
Hmm, which TDi, or any internal combustion engine for that matter, runs anticlockwise?


I suppose it depends on whether you are looking from the front or looking from the back. :)

The model aeroplane engines I had as a child used to run anti-clockwise looking from the front.

[Woolly]

Aulro to the rescue again!
Many thanks to those who responded. My son dropped the auxiliary belts off and it turned over fine; culprit was a seized alternator. New one on its way from Mario, so his D1 should soon be ready for another 400 thousand km and a few more adventures.
Thanks again everyone.

[Old Farang]

Well, the OP has posted that he tried with a breaker bar on the front of the engine. As this is a car related forum I assume that it is about cars, and the conventional wisdom is from the front where in days of yore an engine would be hand cranked from the "front" in a clockwise direction.

Now if it was a twin engine aeroplane, then yes, one could be rotating in the opposite direction to the other.

[Woolly]

PS.
Re direction of rotation, we were using a digital clock!

[Old Farang]

PS.
Re direction of rotation, we were using a digital clock!
Bloody modern crap! :BigThumb:

[justinc]

Aulro to the rescue again!
Many thanks to those who responded. My son dropped the auxiliary belts off and it turned over fine; culprit was a seized alternator. New one on its way from Mario, so his D1 should soon be ready for another 400 thousand km and a few more adventures.
Thanks again everyone.

Yup. First port of call before panicking about engine failures etc. Ive had them towed in here like that and the relief on the customers face when i tell them it was a alternator or idler pulley...🙂